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Make your own basketball bin

27 Aug 2025

Make tidying up a slam dunk with this fun and functional DIY basketball hoop rubbish bin. Perfect for kids’ rooms or a playful home office, this clever project combines sporty style with everyday practicality. Featuring a bold backboard painted in Resene Tangerine and finished with crisp black court lines, it's a creative way to keep your space looking sharp while practising your aim.

You will need:

 

Plywood cut plan for a 270mm (h) x 180mm (w) mesh rubbish bin

  • Base panel 280mm x 330mm x 18mm
  • Back panel 400mm x 300mm x 18mm
  • Back strut 300mm x 200mm

Step 1: Cut the three wood panels required for this project, as above.

a saw cutting wood 

Step 2: On the base panel, mark the width centre and measure a half circle with a 140mm diameter on one end of the base. Use jigsaw to cut around two edges to form the front curve of the bin base.

 

A piece of wood cut into a curve

 

Step 3: Cut out a 40mm x 18mm dado joint in the straight edge back of the bin base panel, for the strut to fit in.

Wood with screws 

Step 4: Drill two holes at the bottom of the strut and glue and screw it into the joint.

A drill and wood

Wood with screws

Step 5: Drill holes into the top of the strut for the back panel to fit on. It should be at least 280mm from the top of the base panel. Screw strut to back panel. 

Wood with a rubbish bin 

Step 6: Sand project and clean off sanding dust. 

Painted wood and rubbish bin

Step 7: Apply one coat of Resene Quickdry waterborne primer undercoat to wooden structure. Allow to dry.

Painted wood and rubbish bin

Step 8: Apply two coats of Resene Tangerine to the wooden project, allowing to dry between coats.

Step 9: Apply painters’ tape to mark out the court line areas on the back panel. Apply one to two coats of Resene Blackjack. 

A basket of paper
Above: Basketball bin painted in Resene Tangerine and lines in Resene Blackjack, wall in Resene Atmosphere and floor stain colour washed in Resene Colorwood Shade then sealed in Resene Aquaclear satin clear urethane.

project Ivan Moses, Hannah Tapner
main image Bryce Carleton

Published: 27 Aug 2025